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Whether it is "Redefining literary techniques and devices", "Justifying Papua New Guinea Literature", or "Translating the Bible into Anuki", these offer valuable reading for the paperless student of literature, and indeed the best sort of literary entertainment you can get out of Papua New Guinea. Check them out either on Soaba's Storyboard or The Anuki Country Press.

Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Milne Bay Cultural Day

Photos: Artie Soaba using the Blackberry.

The
UPNG Milne Bay Students Union recorded yet another success story by fall of
evening Saturday, 29th September 2012, at its cultural day celebrations observed at the Bisini
Softball grounds.

Hundreds
of participants turned up for the occasion bringing the anticipated heart
warming presence of parents and supporters for the Milne Bay student population
of the Waigani campus. Never before had each parent or stall participant left
the festivities much, much more satisfied.

Traditional
dances, mainly those of the surrounding township of Alotau (Tawala), combined
with the Dobu and Misima performances became the highlight of the day. This was
coupled with modern day popular individual singers and musical bands from the
province. Virtually all the students walked away from the Bisini field
content.

And
so they should be.

Earlier
in the year and throughout the President of the students’ union, Chester Tolo'ube, ensured that his students benefited from each fund raising venture. These were observed similarly
throughout the city: in the form barbeques, clean-a-thon activities and
solicits of monies and gifts from individuals and charity organizations. Each
small contribution gathered added up as the year wore on.

All that would culminate at the Bisini festivities that Saturday, of course.

The aim of such student union activities covers a lot of areas of
paramount importance in the general trends of development in Papua New Guinea. One
area of note and in the words of Chester Tolo’ube, is this: “To visit all the
high schools in the Milne Bay this year in a drive to empower students in their
studies and hopefully to boost the number of Milne Bay students entering
tertiary institutions.”

And the President further substantiates that remark: “The funds we
raised last year were used to buy four computer sets for the four secondary
schools; Cameron, Hagita, Holy Name and Wesley. We also talked to the students
of the variety of courses offered at UPNG and encouraged them to aim for
university education.”

To
that call, there were individuals who responded favourably.Senior members of the Milne Bay communities
living in Port Moresby, such as Mr Allan Tarua, took up the challenge in
organizing meetings and similar group activities to bring awareness to all the
communities at large that the objectives of groups such as this student union
were important. The response noted there was positive as much as favourable.

The
end benefits for such ventures in participation are also worth noting. Says Mr.
Tarua, “It is not only a matter of helping our students fund raise. Such activities
also give us the opportunity of catching up with all the wans in POM city whom
we hardly get to see.”

Even
the stall owners walked away from Bisini much satisfied. One such stall owner
claimed by 11.30pm the same evening that she was still counting coins from the
day’s takings.

Overall,
the entire cultural day of festivities was a success. Although the students’
union reported little participation from the MP’s of the Milne Bay Province,
that can be understood as much of the year was taken up and absorbed by the
National elections.The Governor
together with the member for Alotau Open donated K5, 000 and K2, 000
respectively. Fingers crossed some better participation will come from that
sector next year.

That daywhen you rememberedand ran all the way backto tell me, we both heardthe crack, and your eyes shoneas you slid down the wall to sitstill at the doorway; and the wordnever came out of your mouth. The nightbefore, Tonua, my love, the dance was good:how our knees bent and your hair flew

Univentures

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Welcome to the Anuki Country Press. The aim of this self-publishing venture, which also appears as a blog here, is to answer Papua New Guinea's literacy and literary needs. It also gives you the latest in PNG literature and the arts through its blog partner Soaba's Storyboard.
Anyway, this is Russell Soaba at your service and, of course, feel free to participate at the forums of either one of these two blogs.

Bilums of Papua New Guinea

Women at the loop of knowledge

What to look for

This is one title from The Anuki Country Press you could be looking for.

Some more titles from The Anuki Country Press

The novel Wanpis has long been regarded as the classic in PNG Literature for over four decades now. In fact, Malum Nalu is never wrong in raving on about the sort of influence the book has in various colleges and univerities throughout the world.

Maiba

Maiba is the common form of Anuki communication which expresses truths only through parables and riddles. Maiba, as a novel, was first published by Three Continents Press in Washington, D.C., in 1985/86 and currently appears under the imprint of Lynne Rienner Publishers in Boulder, Colorado Springs. Like the novel Wanpis, Maiba also has an equal number of following at colleges and universities here and abroad. It has also been translated into Italian in 2008.